West High House Farm Campsite

Spend a day at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens (20 minutes’ drive). While the castle dates from the 1500s, the hall was built in the early 19th century by Sir Charles Monck, who filled it with columns and pillars so it would resemble an ancient temple. The grounds include vast parkland and the Quarry Garden, with a collection of exotic rhododendrons. On the site of a former colliery, Woodhorn Museum (25 minutes) explores Northumberland’s mining past. In addition to the old industrial buildings, the site features a collection of ornate mining banners, plus works by the so-called Pitmen Painters, whose art reveals what life was like for underground workers in the mid-20th century. Check out the coal and steelworks wagons, locomotives and assorted railroad vehicles on display at the Stephenson Steam Railway (25 minutes), then relive the olden days with a ride to the River Tyne aboard a heritage train.